The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Hesperozygis myrtoides.times.Hesperozygis dimidiata.
The Hesperozygis genus plant is rear and has not been used as a garden variety. There are only a few wild varieties of plants of the Hesperozygis genus. In general, plants of the Hesperozygis genus are flowering shrub-like perennials with labiate corollas. However, plants of the Hesperozygis genus are easy to cultivate and are well suited for growing in the garden. Accordingly, this invention was aimed at obtaining a new plant of the Hesperozygis genus for use as a garden plant having a dense branching habit, the ability to form an abundance of blossoms, and good tolerance to heat and cold.
Initially, 4 seedlings were obtained from crossing a Hesperozygis myrtoides plant named `1136` (non-patented in the United States) as seed parent and a Hesperozygis dimidiata plant named `971` (non-patented in the United States) as the pollen parent in 1994. From these 4 seedlings, one seedling was selected in 1995 in view of a great profusion of flowers. The selection was carried out in a trial planting. The botanical characteristics of the plant were examined using the parent varieties `1136` and `971` for comparative purposes from spring, 1996 to summer, 1997. As a result, it was concluded that the new plant of the present invention is distinguishable from any other variety, whose existence is known to us. It is uniform and stable in its characteristics, and has been named `Sunminbu`.
In the following description, the color-coding is in accordance with the R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, and the Japan Color Standard for Horticultural Plants (J.H.S. Color Chart).
The botanical characteristics of the female parent `1136` plant are as follows:
Plant: PA0 Branches: PA0 Leaf: PA0 Flower: PA0 Physiological and ecological characteristics: PA0 Plant: PA0 Branches: PA0 Leaf: PA0 Flower: PA0 Physiological and ecological characteristics: PA0 (a) A conical growth habit with abundant branching, PA0 (b) Forms in abundance attractive light purple verticillaster blossoms which display a fragrance similar to mint, PA0 (c) Forms branches that initially are green and change to brown as they mature, PA0 (d) propagates well by the use of cuttings, and PA0 (e) Possesses the ability to be grown as attractive ornamentation in pots.
Plant from.--Conical. PA2 Plant height.--Approximately 200 mm. PA2 Branch color.--Moderate yellow green (R.H.S. 146D, J.H.S. No. 3511) on young branches, brown (R.H.S. 165A, J.H.S. No. 1608) on mature branches, and tan (R.H.S. 165C, J.H.S. No. 1911) on very old branches. PA2 Branch texture.--Smooth to slightly rough on young branches, and slightly rough on mature branches and very old branches. PA2 Lenticels.--Absent. PA2 Density of branching.--Extensive. PA2 Length of internode.--Approximately 10 mm. PA2 Phyllotaxis.--Opposite. PA2 Leaf shape.--Elliptic-Oblanceolate. PA2 Shape of leaf margin.--Obtuse serrate. PA2 Leaf attaching angle to stem.--Horizontal. PA2 Leaf length.--Approximately 12 mm. PA2 Leaf width.--Approximately 22 mm. PA2 Color of leaf upper side.--Dark olive green (R.H.S. 137A, J.H.S. No. 3707). PA2 Color of leaf reverse side.--Moderate yellow green (R.H.S. 146B, J.H.S. No. 3514). PA2 Leaf thickness.--Approximately 0.5 mm. PA2 Hair density on a leaf upper side.--Sparse. PA2 Petiole length.--Approximately 2.0 mm. PA2 Leaf fragrance.--Present; similar to mint. PA2 Inflorescence type.--Verticillaster. PA2 Length of spike/Cluster.--Approximately 30 mm. PA2 Length of flower interval.--Approximately 2.6 mm. PA2 Number of flowers in inflorescence.--Approximately 30. PA2 Corolla form.--Lobed and bilabiate. PA2 Vertical diameter of flower.--Approximately 11 mm. PA2 Horizontal diameter of flower.--Approximately 10 mm. PA2 Length of flower.--Approximately 24 mm. PA2 Length of corolla tube.--Approximately 21 mm. PA2 Width of corolla tube.--Approximately 5 mm. PA2 Inside color of upper part of upper labium.--Deep reddish purple (R.H.S. 78A, J.H.S. No. 8907). PA2 Inside color of middle part of upper labium.--Strong reddish purple (R.H.S. 77B, J.H.S. No. 8905). PA2 Inside bottom color of upper labium.--Strong reddish purple (R.H.S. 77B, J.H.S. No. 8905). PA2 Inside color of lower part of lower labium.--Deep reddish purple (R.H.S. 78A, J.H.S. No. 8907). PA2 Inside color of middle part of lower labium.--Strong reddish purple (R.H.S. 77B, J.H.S. No. 8905). PA2 Inside base color of lower labium.--Strong reddish purple (R.H.S. 77B, J.H.S. No. 8905). PA2 Inside margin color of petal.--Strong reddish purple (R.H.S. 77B, J.H.S. No. 8905). PA2 Outside color of corolla tube.--Strong reddish purple (R.H.S. 77B, J.H.S. No. 8905). PA2 Shape of upper labium.--Narrow. PA2 Shape of lower labium.--Wide. PA2 Hair density on a corolla tube.--Sparse. PA2 Hair density on a upper labium.--Sparse. PA2 Hair density on a lower labium.--Sparse. PA2 Shape of calyx.--Tubular and in five lanceolate segments. PA2 Length of calyx.--Approximately 14 mm. PA2 Width of calyx.--Approximately 1.8 mm. PA2 Color of calyx.--Moderate yellow green (R.H.S. 146C, J.H.S. No. 3513). PA2 Anthocyanin pigmentation on calyx.--Absent. PA2 Flower fragrance.--Present; similar to mint. PA2 Flowering period.--May to October. PA2 Resistance to cold.--Strong. PA2 Resistance to heat.--Strong. PA2 Pest resistance.--Strong. PA2 Disease resistance.--Strong PA2 Plant form.--Conical. PA2 Plant height.--Approximately 300 mm. PA2 Branch color.--Moderate yellow green (R.H.S. 146D, J.H.S. No. 3511) on young branches, brown (R.H.S. 165A, J.H.S. No. 1608) on mature branches, and grey-brown (R.H.S. 199D, J.H.S. No. 1918) on very old branches. PA2 Branch texture.--Smooth to slightly rough on young branches, and slightly rough on mature and very old branches. PA2 Lenticels.--Absent. PA2 Presence of stem hairs.--Sparse. PA2 Density of main stem branching.--Extensive. PA2 Length of internode.--Approximately 5 mm. PA2 Phyllotaxis.--Opposite. PA2 Leaf shape.--Elliptic-obovate. PA2 Shape of leaf margin.--Obtuse serrate. PA2 Leaf attaching angle to stem.--Horizontal. PA2 Leaf length.--Approximately 8 mm. PA2 Leaf width.--Approximately 10 mm. PA2 Color of leaf upper side.--Grayish green (R.H.S. 189A, J.H.S. No. 4012). PA2 Color of leaf reverse side.--Pale green (R.H.S. 190A, J.H.S. No. 4011). PA2 Leaf thickness.--Approximately 0.5 mm. PA2 Hair density on a leaf upper side.--Sparse. PA2 Petiole length.--Approximately 5.0 mm. PA2 Leaf fragrance.--Present; similar to mint. PA2 Inflorescence type.--Verticillaster. PA2 Length of Spike/Cluster.--Approximately 21 mm. PA2 Length of flower interval.--Approximately 2.2 mm. PA2 Number of flowers in a inflorescence.--Approximately 10. PA2 Corolla form.--Lobed and bilabiate. PA2 Vertical diameter of flower.--Approximately 6 mm. PA2 Horizontal diameter of flower.--Approximately 8 mm. PA2 Length of flower.--Approximately 14 mm. PA2 Length of corolla tube.--Approximately 12 mm. PA2 Width of corolla tube.--Approximately 5 mm. PA2 Inside color of upper part of upper labium.--Pale purplish pink (R.H.S. 75D, J.H.S. No. 8902). PA2 Inside color of middle part of upper labium.--Light purplish pink (R.H.S. 75B, J.H.S. No. 8903). PA2 Inside bottom color of upper labium.--Pale purplish pink (R.H.S. 75D, J.H.S. No. 8902). PA2 Inside color of lower part of lower labium.--Pale purplish pink (R.H.S. 75D, J.H.S. No. 8902). PA2 Inside color of middle part of lower labium.--Pale purplish pink (R.H.S. 75D, J.H.S. No. 8902). PA2 Inside base color of lower labium.--Pale purplish pink (R.H.S. 75D, J.H.S. No. 8902). PA2 Inside margin color of petal.--Pale purplish pink (R.H.S. 75D, J.H.S. No. 8902). PA2 Outside color of corolla tube.--Light purplish pink (R.H.S. 75B, J.H.S. No. 8903). PA2 Shape of upper labium.--Narrow. PA2 Shape of lower labium.--Wide. PA2 Hair density on a corolla tube.--Sparse. PA2 Hair density on a upper labium.--Sparse. PA2 Hair density on a lower labium.--Sparse. PA2 Shape of calyx.--Tubular and in five lanceolate segments. PA2 Length of calyx.--Approximately 5.5 mm. PA2 Width of calyx.--Approximately 2.0 mm. PA2 Color of calyx.--Light purplish gray (R.H.S. 189C, J.H.S. No. 8614). PA2 Anthocyanin pigmentation on calyx.--Sometimes present. PA2 Flower fragrance.--Present; similar to mint. PA2 Flowering period.--May to November. PA2 Resistance to cold.--Strong. PA2 Resistance to heat.--Strong. PA2 Pest resistance.--Strong. PA2 Disease resistance.--Strong
The botanical characteristics of the male parent `971` plant are as follows:
This new and distinct `Sunminbu` variety was asexually reproduced by cuttings at the aforementioned Oumi Nursey Center of Suntory Limited., located at 863-1, Aza-Iketani, Oomori-cho, Youkaichi-shi, Shiga-ken, Japan, and the homogeneity and stability thereof were confirmed.